EVIE
There’s a hustle of students along the university quad. Every person that I glanced at looked as if they were ready to faint. The mid-semester pressure began to fall on everyone’s shoulders. Wherever you glanced, someone looked like they were ready about to head straight into a psych ward. The mid-November rain pelts down on a sea of umbrella’s and hat covered heads. I hold tight to my umbrella, not wanting the unruly winds to steal it away.
Maggie rambles beside me about the cute guy in her political science class. I wasn’t quite sure where she was at in her list of why he was her future husband. I offered the typical mhmm’s and I’m sure he’d be okay with a summer wedding. She was unaware that my mind wasn’t with her. Instead, it was too preoccupied stressing over my article I needed to finish for the paper by three this afternoon. I was writing an expose on the janitorial staff – were they being underpaid by university officials? Have they been using a no-name brand over high quality cleaning supplies? It was real riveting stuff…
“Evie,” Maggie calls, interrupting my thoughts, and pulling me swiftly to her side.
“What?” I lose my balance, bumping into a random pedestrian. He shouts out a few words that would make my grandma blush, as he angrily runs down the quad.
“You almost walked into the post,” she explains, her hand pulling me tightly.
“Oh… I didn’t see that,” I blush.
She lets out a quiet chuckle, letting go of my arm. “Were you paying any attention to what I was saying?”
The colour in my cheeks deepens, as I bashfully shake my head no… “Something about wanting to us to wear pale pink bridesmaid dresses?” I guessed, figuring that we were still on the topic of her fantasy wedding to what’s-his-name.
She lets out a short breath of air from her nose, her eyes squinting slightly. “Are you okay there?”
“Yeah… of course,” This was the fourth person to ask if I was okay. I was beginning to wonder if something really was wrong with me. I thought I was fine… why did nobody else see that?
“You seem a bit aloof.”
“Not aloof, just… I have a lot on my mind. Mid-semester blues… its normal,” I wave my hand in the air, hoping that this would pass.
“If you say so,” she looks at me skeptically, but shrugs her shoulders. “Anyways, like I was saying. Tanner is amazing-“
“Wait, did you say Tanner? Tanner Montgomery? He’s on the paper with me; him and Ryder and best friends.”
Maggie groans, pushing my shoulder with her hand. My grip on my umbrella loosens, as she catches me off guard. With the fast reflexes that I have, I quickly catch myself before it falls to the ground. “What was that for?” I yelp.
“Eve, I’ve been talking to you for the past twenty minutes and the conversation has only been about Tanner. The first thing I said to you was that he was on the paper with you. That’s why I asked if you could set us up? Maybe see if we could do a double date or something…”
I stop in my tracks, turning around to look at my very hopeful friend. She bites her lip, her doe like eyes giving the most innocent look.
“That would mean I’d have to go on a date with Ryder.”
“Minor detail… besides, he’s been hounding you for a date since last spring. It wouldn’t be weird. Please Evie, I really want to get to know Tanner. This is the only way that I can.”
Being a best friend was difficult. It sometimes made you question your morals and force you to do things that you would normally not want to do. Case and point: asking Ryder if he could set up a double date for my lovesick friend and his oblivious one.
“I’ve been turning him down all year. What makes you think he’d say yes now? I highly doubt it. I’m sure there’s a new girl that he has his eyes on that will probably give him the time of day,” I reason, hoping that maybe she’d drop this stupid plan. Why didn’t she do this the old fashion way? Wait for him to say something to her and leaving me out of it.
“Are you insane? The man worships the ground you walk on. We’ve all seen the way he looks at you. It’s one measly date. It’s not like you have anyone else to go out with on a Saturday night.”
“Ouch,” I blurt, offended by her assumption. Granted, she was partially right. I wasn’t dating anyone. The only “action” I’ve gotten in the past few months is Niall holding my hand. But, that was Niall. There was nothing romantic about it.
“Well it’s true! Unless you’re not telling me something –“she looks at me, prompting me to release any secret that I was holding back.
“There’s nobody else. Fine… I’ll do it.”
Her lips twitch into a grin, a high pitched squeal escaping her lips. “Thank you! Oh my God, thank you so much Evie! Have I ever told you that you’re my best friend? Because you are,” she wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me into her chest.
“It doesn’t mean he’ll say yes,” I grunt, my voice muffled by her jacket.
She let’s go of our hug, her hands holding tight to her umbrella. “I know, but the fact that there’s a possibility that I might be going out with Tanner Montgomery this Saturday night makes me really excited,” she giggles.
“You owe me.”
“I know,” she smiles, kissing my cheek briefly. “You rock, Evie Jones.”
We make our way to the Student building. I close my umbrella, hitting it against the side railing, getting rid of some of the excess rainwater. We walk inside and the heat of the building envelopes us. Steam fogs my glasses, making it incredibly difficult to see. This was one of the many downfalls to wearing glasses in the rain.
“I’ll call you later, okay?” I inform Maggie before we part ways. She gives me one final squeeze.
“Okay. Good luck!”
We say another goodbye before parting ways. I make my way down the hallway towards the newspaper office. There aren’t many people inside, leaving the room relatively quiet. This was my favourite time to be in the office, when nobody was really there. It made writing my articles a lot easier. Fewer distractions meant better quality articles.
Ryder is sitting at his desk, his head bowed down as he focuses on whatever he was working on. This was probably the best (and only) time I’d get to mention the double date. My stomach felt like it was twisting into a thousand knots. I could only imagine what he would say once I brought it up. Either he’d laugh in my face or he’ll laugh in my face nicely. There were only two options.
I throw my bag against my chair, slipping my pea coat off. I pulled down my oversized knitted dress and adjusted the tights underneath. I look back at Ryder who is still unaware that I was here. In front of me was a blonde girl. She glances at me and I give her a small smile. She gives me a look before glancing over at Ryder. Without much of another word she puts her jacket on and shuts down her computer.
I don’t question her nor do I stop her. I was partially thankful that there would be no witnesses when I got humiliated, yet at the same time embarrassed by her sudden assumption. She closes the door behind her, leaving Ryder and I alone.
The loud slam of the wooden door breaks him from his concentration. He looks up from his work, catching my eye. “Hey you,” he greets, smiling up at me. I return his smile, and walk over to where he sits.
I take a seat against his desk, while pulling down my dress so that it no longer rose up. He pushes his chair back a tad to give me a bit more room. “What’s up?” He asks me, his eyes trailing down my body and back up to my eyes.
“For a guy who is usually persistent, you gave up rather quickly,” I say slowly, keeping my nervous voice leveled.
He tilts his head to the side, his eyes narrowing. A small smirk plays at the corner of his lips, “Oh? And what did I give up so easily?”
“The rare chance to hang out with me." He chuckles, his hand moving up to touch the edge of my dress, playing with the fabric in his hands.
“You never returned my calls. I tried for months but you always turned me down.”
“Ever heard of playing hard to get? Get with the program Danielson.”
He laughs lowly, his eyes trailing up to meet me. “Touché… are you wanting me to ask you out?” He enquires his voice slow and steady.
“Actually, I was hoping for a double date… with Tanner.”
“Wow, Evie… you wound me. Here I am thinking you were trying to get to me when you just want my best friend? I’m offended,” he jokes.
“Actually, it’s for my friend. I think they’d be cute together.”
He quirks his brow and gives me a curious glance, “Which friend?”
“Maggie Kent.”
“She’s cute. I think he’d be into it,” he declares casually. “As long as I get to finally take Evie Jones out on a date, I don’t care who it’s with.”
He was too smooth with his words, his tone incredibly charming, “Alright then, this Saturday night?”
“Fine by me,” he runs his hands up and down my leg, squeezing my ankle gently. “Now… do you have that article for me ready?”
I jump off the desk, pushing his arm roughly. “Shit. I need to finish that. Give me one hour and it’ll be yours.”
He chuckles behind me as I rush over to the desk, ignoring the frenzied feeling deep down in my stomach.
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VOTE + COMMENT
Yikes. This chapter was ridiculousy short....
Happy New Year!!